We've been saying the same things of Mullen every bloody year.
Used to be to get a first grade gig as a half you had to have toughness, skill and brains. Most halves in the NRL these days are lucky to have one of those traits.
15-20 years ago guys like Cliff Lyons and Terry Lamb couldn't make rep teams due to the enourmous talent in the comp - halves had so much ability back then. They'd be immortals in todays game.
We need to stop showing Mullen loyalty and use our so called golden dynasty cash to bring in some talent in the halves. Greg Bird at 5/8 would be a HUGE improvement FFS - he has more footballing brains in his foot then Mullen has in total.
I think that it's a combination of two things, firstly being a succesful player in Newcastle means you really are feted whether you perform or not, being a local is a free pass to a life of easy money, slaps on the back and positive press.
Let me offer two examples to support the first point, firstly Joel Edwards not signing his contract months ago, holding out for money one would assume because he's Joel Edwards of course from the hunter and entitled to it. He is a rubbish footballer that would be on 2nd tier money at most other clubs. Isnt there anyone in his life that will say, "mate you really aren't that good, take the deal and move on".
Second the regular " Mullen: I'm ready to step up" articles which appear with monotonous regularity. You'd think that anyone with any self awareness would stop talking about it until they could justify the comments on the back of real sustained improvement in their game.
Secondly the Newcastle player production line is well and truly broken, it's just that we don't know it or will admit it. The good clubs are blooding quality players regularly each year, we really haven't produced a stand out forward since Simmo and when was the last time we actually had a great centre come through the club, perhaps Midley.
We have some massive problems and it's going to take Bennett, four years or more to fix them, if in fact he can.
